In a few days, on August 16 at 7:44a EST, Venus will form the other axis with Gaia and our Sun in the middle. From our home planet, astrology demands we call this a conjunction: Venus conjoining the Sun. Yet if we take a spatial look, we see instead an Earth/Venus opposition or, as I just mentioned, an Earth-Venus-Sun axis.

Any astrological opposition can be read, not surprisingly, in at least two opposing ways. One being the two bodies have different intentions and polarized strategies. They argue for opposite choices from one another. And the second way of delineating an opposition is as “an opposite-facing conjunction.” That is, a planetary opposition viewed from Earth always has Earth in the center of its energetics. “Opposite-facing conjunctions” aka oppositions thus are setups or strategies for us Earthlings to wake up/accept/embrace/celebrate the specific gift formed by the opposing tension of the planets involved. I’ve always taught my students to see it as a rare diamond hidden in a mass of silly puddy which only becomes known when it’s stretched from both sides. Let one or the other go and the gem disappears into potential-only.

Whenever this alignment forms between the three bodies, Venus is at the midway point of her 19-month Journey (here’s a link explaining the basics of the Journey). At this level, she signifies all the parts of us whose days are numbered.

She’s furthest from Earth (apogee), completely invisible (cazimi) in the Sun’s light, and moving at her fastest velocity. One can easily understand why I’ve termed this phase, Transmutation (“TMU). Without the symbol for our feminine in our skies during this extreme moment relative to Earth, our inner feminine feels Her longing the deepest and surrenders herself to the very process of evolution. Transmutation, Venus’ superior conjunction, is her 2nd conception at the esoteric level. The first began the Journey at her inferior conjunction, which I call Self-Conception. But now, halfway through, she must consciously let go so that the new instructional codes from our own deepest knowing can be successfully seeded in our heartbodymind.

Don’t put too much effort into understanding what’s happening, if you find yourself living out Venus’ saga. Rather, attend to the process itself. Don’t distract yourself. Stay focused on your feelings whatever and whenever and whyever they are. Retrograding Mercury will make sure you don’t lock into any beliefs or over-rely on familiar cognitive patterns.

At 23 Leo, I am interpreting this conjunction (including Mercury) as a “Forthcoming Etheric New Heart Template.” Huh? Let me explain:

Forthcoming – The conjunction occurs in front of the Lion’s heart, not in his/her body, suggesting a result to come later.

Etheric – All things we say, do and think have their origins within our energy bodies as potentialities. As this Journey’s TMU celestial event, the choice to act from true courage, blind faith or fear is entirely our choice but the fact remains that the two inner planets with the Sun bespeak very internalized, hidden parts of ourselves. The potential to use this timing for growth or let it pass by resides waiting in our ethers.

New Heart Template – Your heart is the center of your life because it is the holographic part of you which links your physical, emotional and higher intuitive and spiritual capacities. See HeartMath’s web site or refer to my book on Chiron.

This is an invaluable opportunity to recommit ourselves to live from our heart, display a deeper, perhaps newly found courage, and to embrace our lives as a blessing meant not only for us.